Allegations of 'vile and evil' historical child sexual abuse at a Victorian school will be investigated as the state government bows to pressure from scarred victim-survivors.
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A special board of inquiry will be established into alleged abuse at the Beaumaris Primary School in Melbourne's southeast in the 1960s and 1970s, Premier Daniel Andrews announced on Wednesday.
At least three school staff members at the time are believed to be involved in what Mr Andrews described as vile, evil and predatory behaviour towards students.
"This is principally a truth-telling process and one that is about providing people with that certainty that they are heard, they are believed," he told reporters.
"That is an important part of healing, it's an important part of justice."
The inquiry will establish an official record of the experiences of school victim-survivors and examine abuse by the three staff members, who also worked at other government schools.
About $4.5 million is being set aside to support victim-survivors and run the inquiry, which could be expanded to investigate instances of historical abuse at other schools under its terms of reference.
"This is not in any way diminishing the experience of anybody at any other school," Mr Andrews said.
"But the circumstances at Beaumaris Primary School all those decades ago are unique given there were multiple victims, multiple offenders, multiple predators at the one time."
An apology to former students abused at the school will be delivered separately to one promised to care-leavers for all forms of abuse in institutional settings.
Kathleen Foley SC, a member of the Victorian Law Reform Commission, will head the inquiry and deliver a final report to the government by February 28, 2024.
The upcoming inquiry won't cut across victim-survivors or their families' ability to pursue financial claims through the courts or national redress scheme.
Mr Andrews expressed regret that some Victorian agencies and departments have not been model litigants in the past.
Former Beaumaris Primary School student Glen Fearnett, who was allegedly abused by a teacher in the 1970s, said he felt compelled to speak out on behalf of three victim-survivors who are no longer alive.
"It was a little bit of a challenge to get to this point - it feels like we had to jump up and down and shout," he said.
Fellow victim-survivor Tim Courtney, who gave evidence to the federal Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse, admitted the Victorian inquiry was a long time coming.
"Today's given me the confidence to speak about the impact it's had on me," he said.
Local MP and shadow treasurer Brad Rowswell, who has been lobbying the government to take action for victim-survivors, said the scope of the inquiry must be widened.
"We know that child sexual abuse is not isolated to one location, and we know that there are victim survivors across the state who deserve to have the opportunity to have their voices heard also," he said.
Charges were laid last week against an 82-year-old Queensland man as part of an ongoing police investigation into reported sexual assaults linked to the Beaumaris school.
The former teacher is set to face court on July 7 on 26 counts of indecent assault dating back to the 1960s and 1970s.
1800 RESPECT (1800 737 732)
National Sexual Abuse and Redress Support Service 1800 211 028
Lifeline 13 11 14
Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for people aged 5 to 25)
Australian Associated Press
